


Project Free Overwatch

by Odds_Evens



Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: ... sort of, Alison is alive!, BroTP Carolina & Tucker, F/M, Flashbacks, Little Carolina, Little Carolina is a Little Shit, M/M, Overwatch AU, Relationships and Characters TBA, Uncle North
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-24
Updated: 2016-09-06
Packaged: 2018-08-10 17:48:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7854988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Odds_Evens/pseuds/Odds_Evens
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Overwatch was created by the UN to help keep a peaceful watch over the world following the Omnic crisis. Led by the calculating Leonard L. Church and his wife and right hand woman, Alison Church, the world's most famous couple served and protected. </p><p>Until the fall. </p><p>While everyone in Overwatch suffered, none suffered worse then Overwatch's first daughter, Carolina Church.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Soldier 76 is no hero

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so this is an Overwatch!RvB AU. Yep. Said I wasn't going to write it. Then I wrote it anyway. There's a story here. Sort of. But right now it's just a bunch of pieces set in the same world with the same characters. Side stories, if you will.
> 
> If you like Overwatch and RvB, most character parallels will be ridiculously easy to guess (Tucker, please). But many characters became their own while I was writing. 
> 
> A HUGE THANK YOU to Freshzombiewriter for being the world's best BETA. She brought up the idea of who would fit 76's character and has been an amazing person to bounce ideas off of (not to mention make my writing look so much better by doing her thing). 
> 
> Chapter Prompt: Soldier 76 isn't a hero. She doesn't believe in them. Not anymore.

 

Dorado was a beautiful city. Not perhaps her first choice for a new home, but it was nowhere near the bottom of the list either. And if there was one thing she'd learned in her life so far; it was that the nicer the city looked during the day, the darker the streets seemed at night.

She'd come here after hearing about Los Muertos, a small time gang that had suddenly moved from petty crime to full on weapons dealing. It didn't sit well with her that the local authorities were looking the other way, busy with gentrifying the older neighbourhoods and sleeping with their assistants to even start dealing with the city's growing crime rate.

So that's where she came in.

It was long past midnight when the redhead stalked through the city's alleyways, visor carefully aimed down every street, tracking every heat signature for evidence of one of the local gangbangers.

She'd been here only two weeks and already she was beginning to grow restless. The city was beautiful, but the heat was awful and suffocating. Not for the first time that night, she'd considered removing her dark jacket, the brightly painted "76" acting as her signature already flaking off. Even if it wasn't her signature, it was still bulletproof and fire resistant. She'd be a fool to take it off for comfort.

Then again, being a fool might be in her blood. Why else would she be here? In a city where no one knew her name, away from any friends who still cared for her, and chasing after a gang that wouldn't hesitate to put her six feet under?

The alleyway ahead of her came to an abrupt end but she didn't even slow down. Her safe house was only a few blocks east of here, straight past the city square and down past the pharmacy that carried her favourite brand of red hair dye. She hadn't passed through the square since her first time in the city, as it was usually bustling with a crowd, but at this time of night...

The square was empty as she neared, all the shops closed down for the night with their shades drawn and doors locked tight. Posters advertising local bands and artists decorated every surface, her eyes drawn to some of the newer posters as she passed them. Finally she came to the end of the street, where a single ancient poster sat untouched, aged by sun and wind.

Overwatch. Your protectors. Your Heroes.

Leonard Church stood front and centre, proud and tall, arms crossed and back straight as green eyes stared down at the photographer through his glasses. To his left, the Angel stood in mid-air as if flying, her purple armour hiding her face. Below her, an aged man with a greying beard stood ready for combat in an oversized set of red armour. To the right stood two more figures. The second was a young man with dark skin and perfectly manicured braids that went down to his waist. A glowing gun sat comfortably in his hand.

The last person on the poster stood directly to Leonard Church's right hand. She was beautiful, blonde hair seeming to glow in the light. She was smiling at the camera, as if everything was right in the world.

76 didn't think twice. She pulled down on the poster, ripping it in two and destroying Alison Church's perfect face.

\---

_Music blared through the room as the duo danced together. The young man, barely eighteen popped and locked perfectly, braids swirling in the air behind him as the little ten-year-old in front of him clapped with glee._

_"My turn!"_

_"All right, little lady. Let's see what you can do!"_

_He stepped back, letting the little girl dance to the music, doing her best to imitate his moves. She was nowhere near close but he didn't say anything about that._

_"Awesome! Girl, you rock!"_

_She laughed as he joined back in, grabbing her hands so they could twirl in a circle before letting go and crashing onto the couch together, nearly making it tip over. Neither of them noticed the door open until a voice cleared her throat._

_"Huevon, are you using my daughter in order to skip training again?"_

_Lavernius Tucker was on his feet in a heartbeat, eyes afraid as Alison Church grinned at him like a cat watching its prey._

_"No, ma'am! We were just.. I mean I... Uh..."_

_The little blonde jumps in front of him. "Mama come on! He was teaching me to dance!"_

_"Well, I suppose I can let it go this once... As long as you two promise to keep the music down to a respectable level this time."_

_The guilty parties both saluted in unison, making Alison laugh before she straightened and saluted them in response. "At ease soldiers. Don't make me come back or there'll be trouble."_

_"Yes, ma'am!"_

_"Bye, Mama!"_

_"I'll see you at dinner, Carolina."_

\---

The safe house was depressingly Spartan, even for her tastes. She'd added an aqua blanket and a scavenged work bench, but everything else had come with the place.

With a weary sigh, she walked over to the workbench, dropping her dual pistols down before beginning to strip and clean them. She worked mechanically. Every movement done through memory rather than attention, her thoughts wandering even as the sun rose to tell her another night had been wasted.

\---

_Pieces of a well loved sniper rifle lay on the coffee table._

_"Now when you do this on your own, you'll make mistakes. That's fine. It's how you learn."_

_13-year-old Carolina furrowed her brow at her Tio North's words. "Dad says mistakes cost lives."_

_"Well, for him, I guess that's true. But no one is perfect, C."_

_"Mama is." She pointed out with a grin. "Tucker says so."_

_"Your mom is Tucker's boss. He's biased."_

_"So you don't agree?"_

_He stiffened at that. "Now I never said that... don't tell Alison."_

_"Teach me to shoot and maybe I won't."_

_"You are your mother's daughter all right."_

_It took him some time to put the rifle back together, pointing out each piece and asking her where it went before progressing._

_When Leonard Church entered the room, North was just showing Carolina the math behind taking a shot. His face furrowed with confusion when he saw his daughter on the couch. "C? Shouldn't you be in school?"_

_"Pro-D day, dad. I told you last night."_

_"Right." He confirmed, not looking the least bit less confused. "Listen sweetie, I need to talk to North for a bit. Alone."_

_With a small nod, Carolina stood and stepped past her dad to leave. He didn't give her another look, not even to confirm she'd left before he stepped up to North._

_"I don't know what to do anymore, North. She's gone too far this time."_

_"Church, come on. She did what she had to."_

_"Geneva wants a report on Blackwatch by Monday. I can't keep protecting you guys. Protecting her. What am I supposed to do?"_

_"Tell them the truth. Blackwatch saves thousands of lives doing what the UN is too damn afraid to. It's not like she enjoys torturing."_

_"You and I both know she does."_

_Carolina was never naive. She knew who they were talking about._

\---

More empty nights passed before Soldier 76 finally saw action.

She was back in the city's square again, headed home for the night before the sounds of jeering caught her attention. She pressed back against the closest wall, clicking a small button on the side of her visor to activate its advanced targeting and night vision. A small camera on her sleeve allowed her to peek around the corner without being spotted.

Sure enough, a trio of men, tattooed with fluorescent bones laughed as they cornered an omnic. It's left arm was already sparking, nearly torn off at the joint. It made no sound as one of the goons kicked it's head, holding it's silence as it looked around desperately for a saviour.

It's eyes met 76's camera and she silently cursed.

Well, some ass kicking might help her mood at least.

She adjusted the grip on her rifle before popping out of cover and shooting the farthest gang banger in the thigh. His friends didn't even have time to turn around before she was on them, limbs spinning out to kick one in the head, another in the back of the knee.

She fought like her mother, like nothing could touch her. She enjoyed fighting, enjoyed the thrill it gave her when her fist connected with someone, man or machine, who had it coming.

Her father had taught her mercy. To only hurt those who deserved it.

Her mother had taught her to always follow through and finish the fight once started.

Three shots finished the night's excitement.   
  
She ignored the Omnic's silent fear as she neared it. She stopped a few feet away, rifle holstered and hands up. "I'm here to help."

It stared at her for a moment longer, then nodded and shut down quickly, lights dimming but not fading completely. Likely trying to save power however it could.

She'd never been one to study robotics, but she knew enough about Omnics to know it needed help. She hosted the fragile thing's body into her arms like it was a child and left, ignoring the three still bodies behind her.

The nearest Omnic refugee centre was a good distance away, but 76 made it there without further interruptions. The sentries scrambled the moment she came into view, sending out a low alarm.

By the time she was on the temple's steps, three Omnics were there to help take the still body from her arms. It's left arm finally fell free and 76 didn't hesitate to duck and grab it, holding it out for the nearest Omnic to take.

It bowed to her in thanks.

She stepped away to take her leave, only to stop and turn back. "Will... He be all right?"

"Yes." The bowing Omnic said in a calm voice. "You have our thanks for stepping in before further harm could befall him."

She shook her head, eyes glued to the arm still in the Omnic's grasp. "Doesn't feel like I stepped in soon enough."

"We are strong, and prepared for such attacks." It responded. "And an arm can be reattached. We... are fortunate that that is so."

"Yeah." She agreed. "You really are."

\---

" _Carolina, are you even listening?"_

_16-year-old Carolina looked up from her phone guiltily. "Mi Culpa, Tia. You wanna run that past me again?"_

_Dr. Grey just smiled at the teen in front of her, eyes crinkling around with humour. Between them sat Grey's light purple helmet. "If mechanics bore you so much, why did you insist on keeping me company?"_

_"Cause you're fun." Carolina insists, shrugging as she gave her phone another peek. "Even when you're being boring and talking about your armour and stuff."_

_"Armour is not boring!"_

_"Tell me about your surgeries!" She pleads, expertly changing the subject. "Tio Frank says you made him into a cyborg ninja thing! That's awesome!"_

_Dr. Grey didn't take the bait. "Young lady, I'll have you know that Doctor-patient confidentiality forbids me from ever-"_

_Both women froze as an alarm blared through the office, drenching them with a red light. Grey was out the door first, scrambling for her gloves with Carolina only a step behind her. The younger girl grabbed Grey's coat, helping her into it before running back into the office for Grey's helmet._

_The older women slammed it down onto her head just as Alison and North barged their way into the infirmary, pushing a gurney between them._

_Colour drained from Carolina's face when she recognized Tucker on the gurney. There was a bloody mess of flesh and skin under his left elbow, his hand completely gone and not much of the arm recognizable above that._

_Grey took control of the situation in a heartbeat, helmet lit up and reading Tucker's vitals. "What the hell happened?"_

_"They were ready for us." Alison growled, not leaving Tucker's side as Grey fretted. "Had us surrounded. Tucker used his damn energy gun to clear us a path and we would have made it, but one of those assholes tried taking him out with a shotgun. Blasted his arm right off. We got the bleeding more or less stopped by the time we got on the plane, but he lost a lot of it."_

_Grey nodded, then clapped her hands together. "All right! To surgery we go! North, I'll need you to help me take him into the OR, and then check in with my assistant to see about that cut on her head."_

_North's hand moved up absently to the cut on his head. He'd likely not even noticed it during the fight._

_Grey then turned her attention to Alison, finally putting a soft hand on her shoulder to pull her from Tucker. "And Mrs. Church, I'm going to need you to take your daughter out of here until I've patched this one back together."_

_When Alison's eyes met Carolina's, they widened first with surprise, then sadness._

_Grey's voice rose into a chipper tone. "Don't worry you two! I'll have him back in one piece soon enough!" A pause. "Well, maybe not one piece. But you know what I mean!"_

_As soon as the doors closed behind them, Carolina was in her mother's arms, tears hot on her face as she tried desperately to ignore the blood in front of her. Tucker's blood. It was everywhere, soaked into Alison's shirt and covering her arms. The older woman is as strong and still as a statue, letting her daughter cry and wail._

_"Why didn't you help him! You promised you'd keep him safe!"_

_Hurt flashed across Alison's face before being replaced with anger. But her grip on her daughter didn't tighten or turn violent. A gentle hand stroked Carolina’s hair. "It's not my fault. I told him we needed more men for this mission, but he didn't listen."_

_"Dad never listens." Carolina agreed, eyes staring straight at the door Tucker went through. "And now Tucker's going to die."_

_Alison stiffened at that, pushing Carolina away enough so she could look her in the eyes. "Don't say that. Don't even think it. He'll be all right. Grey doesn't lie when it comes to stuff like this."_

_Carolina couldn't keep the eye contact._

_Tucker would be alright._

_Dad never listened._

_Grey didn't lie. Not about stuff like this._

\---

Since the last Omnic attack, Los Muertos had come out of the hole they'd been hiding in. She saw them every night, and it didn't take long for her to find their new hideout. A few nobodies made the mistake of attacking another Omnic on her watch, but before she could have stepped in they brought an innocent bystander into their circle.

The poor kid was barely a teen. 13, maybe 14 if she was lucky, with shaking hands and a brightly coloured wallet that the goons quickly took from her. Carolina was a good shot and a good fighter, but she wasn't about to put a kid's life on the line to save some Omnic.

Eventually the goons got tired of their sick game, jumped into a truck and took off. The little girl followed after them but Carolina ignored her, sticking to the rooftops to get back to Los Muertos' hideout before the truck did.

She made it with time to spare, sliding into her rooftop perch just as the truck pulled to a stop. A handful of men exited the building, arguing for a moment before they came to an agreement and started pulling boxes out of the building and into the truck.

All together there were six men.

Six verses her.

She almost felt sorry for them.

\---

_At 19, Carolina Church had seen more danger than most people twice her age. She already knew how to assemble and load a sniper rifle in seconds and could shoot with both hands. She made hand to hand look like a dance, and didn't pull her punches._

_She was accepted into the UN's gifted soldier program in a heartbeat._

_One of the downsides of the program was the lack of outside technology allowed on the base, but her parents had managed to get through it, so she kept her mouth shut and vegged out in front of cat videos whenever family duties took her back into the real world._

_It had been three months since her last visit to the outside. A full month since either of her parents had bothered to write her. That wasn't surprising in the least, really. After Tio North's death at the hands of his sister, things had gotten tense. Carolina had attended his funeral and could barely breath through the tension between her parents._

_Tucker was still writing her every few days, and had mentioned that her mother had gotten into the habit of leaving the base for weeks at a time. She was in the middle of one of those trips now, so Carolina wasn't holding her breath for a note from home anytime soon._

_Her parents were Protectors of the World, the Commander of Overwatch and his right hand woman. They were idolized by the media, and Carolina dreaded the yearly Christmas cards they were forced to sit through so the world could see Overwatch's first family looking picture perfect._

_No, joining the military had been a breath of fresh air._

_"Hey Church! Captain Beckett has a visitor for you in his office!"_

_She'd been in the middle of her morning jog. She remembered everything clearly. From the slight itch of a mosquito bite on her back, to the tickle of her blonde bangs on her face where they were growing out._

_Everyone told her she looked just like her mother._

_A visitor could mean anything, but Carolina's heart dropped all the same._

_Any hope she'd had was dashed the moment she recognized the woman waiting for her with Captain Beckett._

_"Tia Grey?"_

_"Hello, Carolina." Grey greeted with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Would you please take a seat?"_

_She did. The sensation of the worn fabric under her fingers didn't soothe her. The room smelled of Captain Beckett's cigars and cedar. "What's going on?"_

_"I'm afraid there's been an accident, Mija. Your parents... They were in an explosion."_

_Her whole world stops._

_"I did everything I could."_

_Grey didn’t lie. She wouldn't. Not about this._

_She left the program that same day for the funerals._

_Tucker told her people are blaming her mother for the explosion._

_Carolina breathed fire on the reporters who dare question her about it._

_The day of the funeral, footage of her parents' constant fighting came out. The perfect couple had fallen._

_Days later, the official inquest finished. The evidence was in. Alison Church brought a bomb into the Swiss Overwatch Base and pulled the trigger in order to assassinate her husband. She took over a hundred innocent people with them._

_Tucker left without saying goodbye._

_The next day Carolina dyes her hair._

\---

When Carolina dropped down from the roof, it's with her visor activated and her rifle already firing. Two men are down before she even reaches the ground.

A third takes a shot to the chest and a fourth gets acquainted with her fist.

The fifth and sixth ran for the car as windows opened in the hideout, revealing a sniper she hadn't taken into consideration. She had to dive for cover, growling as a bullet skids off her arm, bruising it from the impact.

Keeping the jacket on was a good plan.

She took out the sniper with a well aimed shot, but that just gavethe two remaining goons the chance to make their escape. One tossed a grenade at her which she easily sidestepped. They drove away slowly and she familiarized herself with this area very well. She could catch up-

A small gasp caught her attention, and her heart plummeted.

The little girl was on the ground, eyes glued to the grenade by her feet.

76 didn’t hesitate. She ran.

She grabbed the girl and curled her body inward, taking the brunt of the blast to her back. The duo landed roughly, with Carolina skidding across the ground, refusing to let her of her cargo until the smoke had cleared.

"Kid, are you hurt?"

The little girl got up slowly, looking at her with surprise. "No, I-"

"Good." That's all she needed to know. She stood up slowly, careful to keep from wincing or showing any weakness in front of the kid. Her back is going to be a beautiful array of colours in the morning, and she's pretty sure she somehow managed to cut her arm open if the blood dripping down her sleeve is any indication.

She'll have to get back to the safe house to really determine the damage. Fortunately nothing felt broken, and she could stand without feeling dizzy.

"Are you... Are you one of those heroes?"

76 froze, praying the kid couldn’t see her hands shake. "Heroes aren't real, kid."

The girl gave her a look that clearly meant she didn’t believe her. 76 can't stand it.

"I'm just a soldier. Nothing more then that."


	2. The Chosen One: Lavernius Tucker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Prompt: Lavernius Tucker's first day in Blackwatch doesn't go as expected.

At 17, most people his age would be thinking about prom and University. Some might be considering the military and others might be going straight into the work force. Some might already have a kid or be engaged, and other might be thinking only about that cutie in math class.

For better or for worse, Lavernius Tucker wasn't like most people his age. For starters, not everyone owned an alien artifact that only responded to them. He also had a rap sheet the length of his arm, and a kill count that really shouldn't be in the double digits. After taking his first life for the gang, Deadlock claimed his only exit would be into a grave or the inside of a cell.

Then Blackwatch came calling.

Tucker would never call himself a religious man. Not when aliens and robots were on the news every day and lightning had yet to strike him down for using the lord's name in vain (daily). But even he had to thank god for the chance to get the hell out of Deadlock.

His new boss was a terrifying woman who could easily bench press him without breaking a sweat and didn't seem to think twice before castrating him for making a sex joke. She demanded he be privately tutored in order to get his GEP alongside training and missions. He'd jokingly called her 'mom' and had a sore backside for his trouble.

He really had been planning on behaving. Honest. But the Overwatch base was gigantic and fuck if he'd actually cared enough to pay attention during his tour. He was supposed to meet his tutor an hour ago, and all he'd managed to do is get hopelessly lost.

By the time he passed the indoor chapel three times, he gave up and entered, figuring he could at least take a nap before the boss lady found him and lectured his ears off.

Thankfully, the chapel looked empty, wooden pews well worn and comfortable enough for his plan. He lay down in the farthest pew from the door and drew the straps on his hood tight, effectively blocking out most of the light. He settled down to sleep only to stop and grab the small, chiseled ring from his pocket. He slipped it on and then drifted off.

The sound of quiet footsteps rouse him from sleep.

He moves without thinking, just following muscle memory as his right hand dashes out, ring forming into a knife that ends right at the throat of whomever was trying to sneak up on him.

It's a kid.

She doesn't look a day over ten, hair pulled out of her face with a pink headband. Her eyes are wide with fear, body stone still with an arm still outstretched toward him.

With a simple conscious thought, the knife disappears into nothingness and Tucker relaxes, leaning back down against the pew. "Jesus, kid. Don't sneak up on people like that."

"Okay." She doesn't sound scared, but she hasn't moved. "Sorry."

"Whatever." He tries pulling his hood back down over his face again so she'll get the hint and take off.

She doesn't.

"Was that hard light?"

As much as Tucker would love to go back to sleep... bragging is always so much more fun. He sits up quickly, eye shining as he points to his ring. "Nope! I'm the god damn chosen one, kid."

The look she gives him speaks volumes about how little she believes him. "Uh huh..."

"This is an alien artifact. For years scientist tried and failed to unlock it's secrets, until one day, little ol me was just walking by and the ring chose me. It's not hard light. It's alien tech that answers only to me."

"Sounds like the sci fi stories dad likes."

"Your dad sounds like a nerd."

"My dad is Strike Commander Leonard Church."

Tucker freezes. The kid smiles.

"So you're..."

She holds a hand out to him. "Carolina Church! And you are?"

He sees no reason to try and hide his identity. He's already a dead man. "Tucker... Lavernius Tucker."

"Oh!" Her eyes light up. "You're mom's new toy!"

"Bow Chika Wow Wow."

She blinks at him. "Huh?"

"Nothing. Nevermind." He rubs the back of his head uncomfortably before looking around at the chapel. "What are you doing in here anyway?"

"Hiding."

He stares at her. "Hiding?"

"From Tia South."

He already knows he's going to regret asking. "... Why?"

"I called her new haircut ugly." She leans closer to him so she can whisper the next part. "It looks really, really bad but no one else wanted to tell her."

"Kid, come on, you never tell a chick she looks bad! Even when she does! Especially when she does!"

"Why not?"

Before Tucker can respond, the door behind them slams open, revealing a young woman with short, pink tipped hair. "YOU LITTLE SHIT!"

Tucker turns to face the stranger as Carolina ducks behind him to hide. "Let me guess... You're South?"

"Yep." South responds with a glare, hands on her hips. "Who are you supposed to be? The new help?"

And just like that, Tucker decided to really make sure this was his last night alive.

"You bet! And as the help, I feel it's my dugly to tell you that your hair looks like shit."

South narrows her eyes dangerously as Carolina snorts out a short laugh. He puts his hand on her shoulder to get her attention. "When I say run. We run."

She nods once, her hand entertaining with his left. The ring was on his right.

Tucker hadn't been lying when he'd told Carolina the ring chose him. From the moment he first touched it, it had become as much a part of him as any limb, as any organ. He didn't need to think to activate it, it just knew.

A faint glow surrounded his hand before it solidified into a glowing pistol. He shot twice as South, purposely missing and driving her away from the door. The glowing bullets didn't even leave a mark on the wall behind her. 

"RUN!"

Carolina tore through the chapel at a breakneck sprint, practically dragging the taller teen behind her. They made it through the door with South hot on their heels.

When North and Alison finally found them later that day, Carolina and Tucker were making faces at South through a shining bubble shield.


	3. Wolves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rome was founded by a pair of brothers raised by a wolf mother. David has always been proud of his heritage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is completely self indulgent for me at this point. Werewolf Wash is something I never knew I needed in my life. 
> 
> This one is un-Beta'd because fuck this chapter.

Rome had a statue of its two founders, Romulus and Remus as babes suckling from the tweet of the wolf who raised them. None claimed to believe the story, even with aliens and omnics walking around.

Truthfully, Romulus and Remus were a myth. Maybe there had been two boys who founded the capital and claimed to have been raised by a wolf.

David's life was not a myth. He was not raised by wolves. He was one.

\---

In Northern Italy, there lay the town of Haroa. Population 5,000. Haroa was out of the way of most train and highway routes, contained little to no monuments that would make it into tourist books, and had some of the un friendliest locals around.

But to David, it was home.

He'd been born and raised here, the latest in a long line of wolves who settled in the area between the mountains, back when it was only a clearing surrounded by a wide and dangerous forest. The first wolf had hunted in the trees, mated and had children in the trees. Those children grew and ruled over the humans who feared them. But the humans were more then just workers and fodder. As the family of wolves died out, the humans became their pack. They were protected, and in return, the humans protected the wolves.

But when one young wolf grew too wild, there were none who could contain its fury. And the fragile peace was destroyed.

The pack became two lone brothers. And when the brothers grew into maturity, two became one.

David was the one.

He wandered through the quiet town at night, his heavy scarf wrapped tightly to obscure his face (not that anyone would get close enough to recognize him). His destination was the same every year: the abandoned mansion on the far side of town that lay in quiet ruins eleven months of the year.

The month of his brother's death however, the mansion was a buzz of activity.

To say that David was the last wolf of his family wasn't to say he was the last of his family completely. As the wolves made peace with the humans who feared them, they also made unions. But as the blood became diluted, the chance of a child being born a wolf fell and fell. For an entire generation, no wolves were born. Then came David, and three years later, his brother Frank.

David had been the natural pick for the family's next leader. He was raised into the role, melded into it, all while his brother played and laughed and lived. Resentment was expected, jealousy as well, but the brothers loved each other, and David protected Frank from any and all who wanted to harm him.

Sneaking into his old home was a simple task, even with the dozens of armed men and machines who guarded it. A glimmer of light was the only warning a few men received before falling to their deaths with a knife in their throats.

He made it into the heart of the mansion without further attention. In fact, the inner halls were emptier then they had been the year before. David thought nothing of it, just thankful that this year's task would be easier then the year before it.

The great doors to the inner garden lay open before him, and only then did David grow suspicious. He drew his knives, holding two in each hand as he entered silently.

The mansion had been built around the giant tree in the centre of the garden. A Sicillian Fir. Large, majestic and critically endangered. The stories claimed the children of the first wolf were born under its branches. True or not, the tree was considered special enough to warrant its safety. Each child born to the family was brought to the tree on the first full moon of their fifth year, to see if they were born a wolf or a human. David still remembered his change and the joy in his parents' faces when they came for him the following morning. After his brother's first change, they spent every full moon together in the garden, locked in to protect the humans around them from their blood lust.

The tree was only half as majestic as David remembered, much of its bark still darkened from the fire that nearly destroyed in ten years ago. The fire David had started after dragging his brother's still form back here.

Frank's blood had long ago been absorbed into the dirt, but David could still remember it's coppery smell when he closed his eyes. With a sigh, he pulled the heavy doors closed behind him, locking them from the inside rather then the out. Satisfied that he would be left alone for the night, he returned to the tree, kneeling at its roots as he relaxed.

It did not last.

"Fancy seeing you here, stranger."

The voice came from high above, from the lip of the walls where they met air. David sent a knife at its heart, but the slip of the figure's shadow told him he'd missed.

"If you want to live, you'll take off now."

"I always did like taking things off, but I'm not feeling it right now."

David grimaced at the words before standing. He dropped one of his knives to the ground and grabbed at the rifle strapped to his chest. He glanced back at the walls but the shadow was gone. "Come down here and fight like a man!"

"Only if you promise you'll fight like one too!"

This time the voice came from behind him, and David spun around, rifle at the ready. What greeted him made him pause.

It wasn't an omnic. There was too much synthetic flesh for that. The metallic armour the figure wore was shaped into what looked like a pair of tiny booty shorts and tang top, in the gaudiest shade of pink David had ever seen in his life. No creature, man or machine, with any taste would wear something like that.

But David knew someone who would. "... Frank?"

The figure froze before slumping and relaxing with one hand on his hip. "Aw man, what gave me away?"

 _Jesus Christ, what didn't_?

"You're not... You can't be real."

Frank relaxed again, head tilting to the side behind his bright pink visor. "Of course I'm real! You're being dramatic again, Big D."

_Dear god._

There's a buzz spreading through David's blood, and it only takes him a moment to remember the full moon. He falls back to his knees with a pained gasp, fingernails turning into claws as they grasp at the ground. He pays his brother no mind as his body begins its painful transition into his wolf form. It takes only a handful of seconds, but it feels like so much longer, the pain only fading into an icy coolness as he pops the joints in his back into their new position.

A wolf was always at its most dangerous on the night of the full moon. A lone wolf was all the worse.

And tonight he wasn't alone.

Frank stood in front of him, still as a statue and... unchanged. A wave of wrongness washes over David as Frank slowly moves to lift his visor off his face. It's metal, most of it anyway. What remains is covered in criss crossed scars and burned skin. His right eye, normally a bright blue has faded to white.

He takes a step toward David but the wolf growls and bares his teeth. Frank stops, then sinks down to his knees. "It's me, D. Just me. I've been looking for you for a while but I guess I didn't think about looking at the calendar. Of course you'd be here on the full moon."

He wants to ask why, ask what happened, but he already knows.

_The younger wolf doesn't back down, even with blood steadily flowing from the bite wound to his side. David growls before jumping onto the smaller wolf, large jaws wrapped around his throat, but not quite breaking through the skin. A show of dominance. A way to let the younger wolf submit and live._

_But he didn't. He struggled and fought and scratched at David with all he had. David bit down and felt something snap under his jaws. His brother's form fell still, and David's heart ran cold._

"I can't turn anymore." Frank explains, pulling David from his memories. "You took that from me. Not that I blame you! I mean, it was pretty fucked up, but I forgive you. I was being a naughty little boy, and you were doing what you had to."

David falls back into a crouch as Frank moves closer.

"David, can't you just come here? I know you won't hurt me."

A wave of anger washes over him. How could he possibly think that?

With a heavy sigh, Frank stands and approaches. David tries backing away but Frank is on him too quickly, pulling the wolf into a tight embrace and digging his face into his fur.

David could slip out of the hold easily. A claw to the face, a bite to the neck. Even a bite to the face would work if the neck proved to be too well armoured.

"I missed you."

He falls still. _How? ... Why?_

"I forgive you. I forgave you a long time ago, really. I met some awesome people who helped me out and made my life awesome."

David starts looking for escape routes. The door was out of the question, but the tree was likely still sturdy enough for him to climb. It was difficult as a wolf, but not impossible.

"We broke up a few years ago because of some drama, but some of us are trying to get the gang back together, and we'll need all the help we can get."

To David's surprise, Frank let's go of him. He unlocks the heavy doors and pulls one open as if it weighed nothing at all.

David nudges at his brother's back in curiosity and Frank just gives him a smile. "Overwatch. The group I was a part of was called Overwatch."

David knows that name.

"And... I'm going to go back. Tomorrow. I want you to come with me, but you don't have to if you don't want to." He settles down against the now open door and pats the ground next to him. "Just promise me you'll think about it?"

David doesn't want to think about it. He wants to run and hunt and forget about the new face that will now haunt the nightmares his mind is no doubt already stirring up for him.

But he owes his brother this much.

When the sun rises the next morning, David follows his little brother back out of their old home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I blame @SecretlyStephanieBrown for Donut Siblings and the fact that I can't un-accept that head cannon now. Sorry guys, Wash and Donut are un-officially-officially siblings now. 
> 
> David and Frank will get their code names eventually. 
> 
> (Also, how do people write Donut with a straight face? I was fucking DYING).

**Author's Note:**

> I usually Headcannon Tex as part Caucasian part Asian after a blonde friend I had (and cause someone once used the name “Nguyen” for her and I fell in love). But because I’m Spanish and Reaper is Spanish, Tex/Alison is at least part Hispanic in this verse. (Emily Grey is Chilean for the sake of that’s the dialect I speak and slang is hard to unlearn).
> 
> Tia=Aunt  
> Tio=Uncle  
> Huevon=Not a nice word
> 
> Prompts are welcome.


End file.
